“Fushimi Inari Taisha is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings.”

Most people visit the shrine because of the beautiful hiking trail to the summit of the mountain. The hike takes about 2-3 hours, however, we were not able to finish it.

The torii gates along the entire trail are donations by individuals and companies, and you will find the donator’s name and the date of the donation inscribed on the back of each gate. The cost starts around 400,000 yen for a small sized gate and increases to over one million yen for a large gate.

PRO TIP: There are many rules to paying respects at a shrine. These rules are a symbolic representation of respect to the kami spirits, so it’s important to pay respects in a way that is not offensive to the kami. Outside the shrine you can see water fountains to purify oneself. It is a Japanese custom to purify your body and soul before going before the kami.

The shrinecan be reached in a short walk from Fushimi Inari Station along the Keihan Main Line. You will never get lost looking for it because almost everyone in the station is headed towards the shrine.